Hardman Truth – Page 9

Spiritual Stench, Part 1

“Jesus, intensely moved again, came to the tomb. (Now it was a cave, and a stone was placed across it.) Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of the deceased, replied, ‘Lord, by this time the body will have a bad smell because he has been buried four days.’” –John 11:38-39

Recently, a few brothers and I were blessed to be able to volunteer with Samaritans Purse and help with disaster relief in Louisiana. I was involved in mostly outside roof tarping and limb cleanup, but one house in particular stood out to me. The outside was decently maintained, even though there was a lot of debris from metal work, boat repairs, and bins of empty drink cans spilling from the garage. But as soon as we entered the house, we were meet with an almost tangible odor. We were grateful that the main living area had a front and back door that we could prop open, so that we could work with some fresh airflow.

The homeowner was a kind, old, war veteran. He smoked, but the unpleasant smell of cigarettes only served to partially mask the rotting smell coming from his kitchen. It was a mess, with food decomposing on the counter and in the sink. I had to wonder how his children and grandchildren (he lived alone) allowed him to live in such a mess. I confess, I didn’t want to be the one to work in the interior (even though I did).

But it struck me, is this not the spiritual condition of all our hearts without Christ? In fact, this is the state of any part of our being that has not surrendered itself over to Life? It is dead. And death stinks.

Sure, we’ll keep the outside manicured, for that’s what our neighbor sees (1Sa 16:7), even though some of our internal trash keeps spilling out. We may allow certain individuals inside, but we keep certain recesses where we know death permeates hidden. Yet bad habits and destructive tendencies are only the scent of deeper decomposition. The problem is, our flesh fatigues (i.e. olfactory fatigue), and so becomes accustom to the filth and oblivious to the stench (Rom 8:5-8).

At least for ourselves.

When it comes to others, we would rather stay away. Oh, we might coldly tell them as we exit that they offend. Or we may politely say nothing and just stay on the door step.

But Jesus did not shy from the smell. He demanded that death be exposed, that the stone hiding it be removed. Because if rotting bodies are not exposed, if breathe (John 20:22) and light (Eph 5:13-14) are not allowed to enter, dead men don’t walk out of graves.

Billy Neal

Know the Difference

And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. — Matthew 17:18

Men, an epileptic boy is brought to Jesus. Jesus rebukes a demon and immediately it came out of him and the boy was healed. Today, 2000 years or so later, there is still no real cure for epilepsy. It can be “managed” with rest, medication, avoiding flashing lights and abstaining from drugs and alcohol, but can’t be cured with any known medical treatment.

What happened here was not a prescription for managing symptoms. I wouldn’t dare say all epileptic cases are of demonic origin, but this particular case was in fact demonic indwelling which manifested in symptoms of epilepsy. I’m no doctor, but seeing a case of healing like this should have us standing up to take notice. The ability of Jesus to recognize a health matter in truth as a spiritual matter is something we should all take note of.

While history is filled with bad cases of overzealous spiritual healers condemning citizens of all forms of evil, neither is popping a pill down our throats the blanket solution for all matters of health. How can we know the difference between a legitimate health issue and an influence of evil? We can test the spirits, but please, do not allow Hollywood to be your guide into this subject. Jesus could “see” the difference.

The miracles that Jesus performed are giftings available to us as well, in the right context, with faith in Christ Jesus who overcame. Please, do not try to extract a demon from someone choking on a chicken bone next Sunday at the diner. But hope is not lost if you’ve exhausted all normal means of treatment as this man and boy had. Jesus can see, and He is the answer regardless of the issue. The Lord Jesus has authority on earth, water, air and the heavens. He has authority over all sickness and evil. Jesus is our answer.

Move forward men, in decisive faith in Jesus. Listen for His voice in your heart guiding us to clarity on matters of health and the heart. Allow His Spirit to aid us in discernment. Take all matters to Jesus who heals.

Vance Durrance

Perspective

So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.”

Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.”
— Matthew 17:16-17

Men, Jesus has just come down from the transfiguration and is confronted by a man with an “epileptic” son. His son needs healing and the disciples could not do it. Bringing the boy to Jesus, Jesus answers; “O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you? How long shall I bear with you?” Jesus is roughly 6 months from the cross. Knowing His time is coming short, He really wants to see His followers understand what He came to do. Not just to die for sin, but to reconnect man to the Father, and to dominion. Jesus is disappointed here. Jesus calls them faithless. We often use faith and belief interchangeably, but that is not accurate. The 9 disciples who remained behind “believed” in Jesus. But they failed in faith, or “seeing” the world through Jesus’ perspective. Jesus calls them a perverse generation.

Our flesh is corrupted, and seeing the world through the eyes of our flesh perverts our sight and thoughts. Seeing through Jesus, by faith, purifies what we see. When you turn on the television to the nightly news, do you see opponents? Do you see a mess you’d like to be excused from? Do you see brokenness and opportunity to shine His light into darkness? Are you angry with what you see or are you hurt and burdened for what you see? What we see says everything about our level of faith. How long will Jesus bear with us? How long until we see what Jesus would do and act accordingly? How long until we stop seeing a sick child and try to heal issues on our own? How long until we see a sick child as Jesus sees it, so we can then be vessels of Jesus’ healing power on earth? I ask myself as well. I want to “see” more, and I hope you do too.

Move forward men, looking closer at Jesus to see what He seen.

Vance Durrance

What does the world look like to Him? We can’t engage the world as He would until we understand the world as He does. We must pan back from our circumstances and ask Jesus for a Holy vantage point from which to acknowledge our surroundings.

Keys – Kingdom Authority

Keys

And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” – Matthew 16:19 NKJV

Men, the gates of Hades will not prevail against “the called out ones” of Jesus Christ. Now He tells Peter, “And I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven”. Matthew 18 later let us know that all the disciples were given “the keys” as well. But what are these keys, what do they unlock, and what is behind these doors?

Let’s define a Kingdom as a territory/realm. Within the borders are protections, privileges, rights, responsibilities, protocols, and authorities. Jesus has come, not to set up a physical kingdom, that comes later, but a Kingdom system which is superimposed over the world system. The world system is governed by the ruler of the air, Satan (Eph2).

Having the keys grants those who have them the authority to act on behalf of Him who granted the keys, namely Jesus. In effect, having the keys grants those with keys authority to overrule the authority of the air, or the system of this world. When the world system is hurling insecurity and fear in our face, these keys grant us access to His peace and power and more. Peter was given keys to preach, and he did so with great affect, bringing in 3000 in Acts 2. Peter opened the door to Gentiles in Acts 10. Peter unlocked the door to healing miracles and more.

So, are these keys available to us? Consider Luke 10. Jesus gave authority to 70 believers to “tread on serpents”. Serpents are demon rulers over territory here in the world. Jesus prayed for “oneness” in John 17. The Kingdom of God which Jesus preached will never fall or fail. Authority granted in Kingdom supersedes all other authority. We can access these keys, but like a Good Father, He waits on some who He can grow into responsible children who will possess the keys with understanding and humility.

Peter, the 12, and those faithful to pursue great depth in their relationship with Jesus have been given “keys to the Kingdom”. Keys grant us access to Kingdom privilege, power and gifts; unlocking opportunities beyond a surface level relationship, and come with responsibility. Jesus tells Peter and the 12 that with keys, they can also “bind on earth” and it “will be bound in heaven”.

In addition, Jesus tells them, “whatever is loosed on earth will be loosed in Heaven”. This is all in context of Kingdom. In this Kingdom, Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father and is judge. Binding and loosing are contractual, judicial, and legal terms. If someone or thing is bound, it is presided over by authority.

For example, the covenants of God, His promises, oaths, agreements and boundaries are binding. Obedience to His precepts and law “loose” specific blessings. If something is loosed, it is freed, unhindered, activated etc. Jesus is telling the 12, and us, that we reciprocate legal business, through the Holy Spirit, with heaven and earth.

There is an active role for Peter, you and I to participate in regarding Kingdom business on the earth. Consider 1 John 5:14-15. We can ask God the Father and Jesus for anything –within His will– and it will be done for us. God sits on His royal throne and issues legal judgments and decrees that are then carried back to the earth and Kingdom business is accomplished. Agreements made here are also binding in Heaven. No wonder Jesus told us not to make oaths. Yes, Jesus is a comforting friend, closer than a brother, He is our defense, but He also holds legal authority with God the Father over all things in heaven and the earth.

Move forward, men, with keys. Jesus called Himself, “the gate”… into the Kingdom. Salvation only takes us into the gate. By walking close with Him, we learn to navigate the system of Kingdom and He grants keys of access to His power. Move forward, men, in obedience to His Word and precepts to function in His will. Consider the legal protocols of Kingdom. Immerse yourself with full surrender in His will and ask of Him. Watch it happen on earth as it is decreed from Heaven.

Vance Durrance

Surely Die

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Something is missing from this passage…

[God said to Adam] “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” –Genesis 2:17

Why aren’t Adam and Eve dead?

Lest we think the serpent spoke truth (Gen 3:4), let us examine this closely. Here are several points, all of which might be accurate.

First, consider that life is not just existence, but our spiritual fellowship with God, which was immediately broken at the fall (Rom 7:9-11). THIS is REAL death (Eph 2:1).

Second, death can be considered the process of our decay, and that at the very moment of partaking the fruit, humanity’s access to the Tree of Life was revoked (Gen 3:22-23), and they began to die.

Third, we might utilize the serpent’s question “Did God really say?” in a genuine search for wisdom (the purpose of the crafty snake, see Gen 3:1) in order to question our assumptions regarding what the Lord meant by “in the day.” Is not a thousand years as a “day” to the Lord in His patience (2Pe 3:8)? And note that even the oldest man fell short of 1,000 at 969 years (Gen 5:27).

Fourth, God is merciful, and has allowed them to live beyond the limits of His divine decree. This is not an unjust pardon, but a merciful delay, for every sin will be accounted for at the great white throne—or was accounted for at the cross (Rom 3:25; Rev 20:12-15).

“Or do you have contempt for the wealth of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, and yet do not know that God’s kindness leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed!” –Romans 2:4-5

Lord, humble us to Your immense mercy today. Help us see the gracious breath that You do not withhold every day that we arise from our bed (Job 34:14). Open our eyes to the mercy of every ray of sun and drop of rain that continues to bless us with undeserved light and life (Mat 5:45). Grant us today a heart of thanksgiving for Your mercy!

Billy Neal

Drawing Out Faith

Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”

But He answered her not a word.

And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” –Matthew 15:21-25.

Men, Jesus leaves Gennesaret for the region of Tyre and Sidon. These are Pagan territories, and a Canaanite (Gentile) woman comes to Him crying out for mercy. Her daughter is severely demon-possessed. Jesus doesn’t answer her. The woman cried out so much that the disciples ask Jesus to send her away. Jesus replies, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of Israel”. The “Lost Sheep” is a good study of its own. But then, she came and worshipped Him, begging Him, “Lord help me!”

We read this and find Jesus uncharacteristically cold and distant. Remember, this is Pagan lands and a Gentile woman. To grant her request without then being filled with Himself would leave her daughter vulnerable to a worse condition (12:43-45). Jesus is basically on a retreat here from His primary mission. He will soon leave with only this occasion recorded.

We are told to pray continually, to ask, seek and knock, it is written that many prayed day and night to God, others fasted with prayer. As with this woman, Jesus is drawing out our faith. Jesus could have healed the daughter without all this drama. It would have been cheap and forgettable. Jesus drew out her focus on Him as her only hope. This woman won’t be allowed to come and make a private plea for help and walk away to her other gods without a life changing moment to reflect back on. She is challenged to appeal to Jesus’ mercy from beyond any merit of her own. The woman now acknowledges Jesus beyond a resource to her need. V25 says she worshipped Him. “Lord, help me!”

This is our lesson today. How many of us will continue to pray while Jesus seems silent? How many will pray when we feel we’ve been denied His answer? How many will worship Him before we get what we want?

Move forward men, identifying Jesus as Lord regardless of how He responds. He is not God, because He is merciful to us. He does not belong to us that we should make drive thru value menu prayers to satisfy our wishes. Is He Lord God of your life?

Vance Durrance

Shattered Mirrors

Shattered Mirror

“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God moving about in the orchard at the breezy time of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the orchard.’” –Genesis 3:8

When moving a giant wall mirror from my grandmother’s house, one of the men carrying it was negligent and one of its corners hit the ground, chipping off a chunk of its corner. What was once the centerpiece of my grandmother’s dining room gatherings, now sits covered and hidden in the dark recesses of my parents’ basement.

Consider the essence of the serpent’s accusation: “God is lying to you. He is hiding good from you.” And yet what happens immediately following mankind consuming the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, deciding for themselves right and wrong? The very image-bearers of God HIDE from God. The very ones meant to reflect God’s good character now must conceal and cover themselves. They immediately recognize that a broken mirror is useless, because it reflects a lie, especially when it’s purpose is to reflect the perfect holiness of God. And Adam and Eve did more than chip a corner in negligence, they willfully shattered it with envy, believing that there was something better hidden behind it.

So they cover themselves and hide in the dark.

Before the good news can truly be received, the bad news must be accepted. Not only about others, but about ourselves. We are broken, shattered beyond repair. And we properly feel the shame of the evil we have committed (Eph 5:12). To hide this is to only heap up further rebellion, not to mention foolishness under the all-seeing eye of the Lord (Heb 4:13).

But don’t miss something powerful here. God’s purpose in shame is not to drive us away from Him, but draw us close. “Cover [your enemies’] faces with shame, so they might seek you, O Lord,” (Psa 83:16). A thing is visibly broken to demonstrate we have mistreated it, and that repair is needed. But we were never meant to fix our brokenness, for a shattered mirror cannot be repaired but must be replaced by the manufacturer. Likewise, when we find that our life is lost, we should seek it’s source (Act 3:15; Col 1:16).

So do not hide your brokenness from the Maker, and do not try and mend what is irreparable—whether your own mirror or another’s. Rather, let shame drive you to seek His redeeming hand (Neh 1:10), and point other’s to the Great Miracle Worker who not only repairs humanity (Mat 21:14), but resurrects dead men to life (John 11:43; 1Pe 1:3).

Keep digging for that treasure (Mat 13:44).

Billy Neal

Conquerors

Conqueror

“The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.” –Revelation 3:21

So how did Jesus conquer?

Jesus came chiefly as “God With Us” to bring redemption TO man. But, He also demonstrates the victorious life as the second Adam (1Co 15:45-47) and firstborn of all spirit-born image-bearers (Col 1:15). He is the perfecter AND the pioneer of our faith (Heb 2:10). So consider that in Jesus the fullness of God dwelt (Col 2:9), yet He did not hold on to His high status while on this earth, but took upon Himself the lowly position of a slave (Phi 2:6-7) for “a little while” (Heb 2:9). He then joyfully suffered (Heb 12:2) because He was focused on a great mission—“to seek and save” His wayward Bride (Luke 19:10; Hos 3:1; 14:4; Rev 21:2) Thus, He became “obedient to the point of death,” and God “exalted Him” (Phi 2:8-9).

Notice the process of perfection:

“For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.” –Hebrews 2:10

In other words, the success of Christ’s mission, the path to victory, was obedience “through suffering.” And if Christ “learned obedience through the things he suffered” (Heb 5:8), how much more we desperately need to be perfected through obedience by enduring suffering here on earth?

But do not think that this suffering is merely being ready to kneel before the Jihadist who holds a sword. For how can one be willing to lose his head if he is not willing to lose his job?

Therefore, suffering in this life is a daily task. It is heeding the battle cry of temptation and standing firm against our enemy in constant submission to God (Eph 6:12-18; Jam 4:7). Suffering is learning contentment and thanksgiving in ALL circumstances (Phi 4:11; 1Th 5:18; Ecc 6:10). Suffering is ridding ourselves of riches that hinder our walk with God, and severing those fleshly desires that are burdens or barriers (Gal 5:24; Rom 13:14; Mark 9:43-47; Mat 19:21-24). Suffering is choosing God’s way instead of our own—daily (Luke 9:23).

So, are you willing to lay your life down for Him today? Not just to some theoretical mob that comes to kill Jesus followers, but by being completely surrendered to His purposes every moment of the day? Are you willing to forsake your own schedule, your own plans, and your own dreams to be a conqueror?

Billy Neal

Kingdom Authority

Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. — Matthew 14:19 NKJV

Men, Jesus tells the disciples “bring them to me” (the fish and loaves). Then He tells all the multitude to “sit down on the grass”. Then He took the five loaves and two fish in His hands, looked up to heaven, and blessed them. He broke them up, gave them to the disciples to distribute to the multitude.

Who did Jesus bless the loaves by? Jesus could turn stones into bread if He wanted to, but He was following a Kingdom protocol. The earthly body is unable to break the general rules of physics. But the Spirit can. Jesus is showing us how to access the riches of heaven. Healing, signs and wonders are often thought of in terms of magic, or some hocus pocus. For Jesus, this was no sleight of hand; He was generating a legitimate increase in physical resources, but not by some incantation and wave of a wand. From earth, Jesus accessed the literal Kingdom of heaven and by blessing it appropriately, the stores of Heaven were opened up to Him.

We’d all like to know the words Jesus used so we could follow a 5 step plan to fill our kitchens. Again, this is not about reciting an incantation, “bippity boppity boo”, so to speak. It’s not about the words Jesus used. His ability to break the rules we live by on earth are because of His focus on His own authority, Kingdom’s riches and freedoms.

Jesus was not limited to the rules here because His authority was secured in a higher order. Looking up to heaven, He acknowledged the authority He had in His Father’s Kingdom and opened the resources. To Him, it was as simple as opening a cupboard door. Is this authority available to others? 2 Kings 4 tells us about Elisha stretching a widow’s resources. The disciples called on healing power by Jesus name in Heaven. Is it available to us?

I dare anyone to move forward. It’s not a parlor trick for amusing our friends but Jesus said we would do even greater. How does it happen? It doesn’t without first looking up to heaven and acknowledging His Name’s authority, our sonship and His Kingdom.

Vance Durrance

Bottom of Form

Invest Wisely

“I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich…” –Revelation 3:18a

God wants you rich.

And He wants you to invest—wisely. BUT, not in material abundance that is tomorrow’s trash (Mat 6:20), or those fickle businesses on Wall Street that are doomed to all crash (Rev 18:19). No, He wants you to invest in a stock that is guaranteed to make you eternally rich (Mat 19:29; Luke 12:32-34). But know this, every investment has a cost. The coming Kingdom will cost you everything in the immediate (Mat 13:44-46; Luke 14:26-33). But, although it’s continual buy-in is struggle and strife (“fire”), it produces some sweet (and “refined”) dividends: righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness (1Ti 6:11). So investment the rest of your life’s efforts to acquiring Kingdom currency—Faith (Jam 2:5). For there is a lavish inheritance in glory awaiting those who have it (Rom 8:32; Col 3:24; 1Pe 1:4).

“In this with no bed or real estate
I know my reward ain’t no minimum wage
Plagued with the same birth pains
But I know my labor’s ain’t in vain…
But I’m a keep grinding ’til it rain And when the Boss back I get a raise”
–Trip Lee, “No Days Off”

“Command those who are rich in this world’s goods not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, which are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. Tell them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous givers, sharing with others. In this way they will save up a treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the future and so lay hold of what is truly life.” –1 Timothy 6:17-19

Billy Neal